Eternity's End
by Ethereal Solitude
Summary: A King crumbling under the weight of his destiny. A Warrior Goddess who has shunned her weapons. A tale of eternal love and ultimate sacrifice, with the fate of two universes at stake.
1. The Child of Destiny

**Hello everyone! I had this story in mind for a long time but was really on the fence about posting it. I am not a writer and never was. However, after some thought, I have decided to go through with it. Hope you enjoy it. Here are a couple of notes**

 **1)I am a huge Lightis shipper but this is my first attempt at putting my thoughts into words. Also, English is my third language. So I apologize in advance for all the grammar errors that i have made. But feel free to review and criticize.**

 **2)I have tried to reconcile the ending of Final Fantasy XV with the post game content to the best of my abilities. But I had this story in mind years before the game's release. Thus, I had to have young Noctis as my hero. And I wanted a happier ending for the gang, especially Prompto.**

 **3)I am a sucker for cosmic stories from comic books like Crisis on Infinite Earths, the Macross shows (especially the film 'Do You Remember Love?'), and Neil Gaiman's Sandman books. Those are my inspirations. However, above all else, this is the story of Noctis and Lightning.**

 **4)I have noticed a couple of other Lightning x Noctis works with very similar titles. I thought of changing it to avoid confusion, but I had this title in mind for all these years ( _okay I stole it from the Night Elf campaign in Warcraft III_ ) and changing it just did not sit right with my OCD. But I have PMed the concerned author about this.**

 **Note: This takes place after Lightning Returns and Final Fantasy XV**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to anything. All rights belong to Square Enix.**

* * *

 **To see a world in a grain of sand**

 **And a heaven in wild flower**

 **Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand**

 **And Eternity in an Hour**

William Blake, Auguries of Innocence

* * *

 **Chapter 1: The Child of Destiny**

Noctis felt the very essence of his being slipping away. It felt as though every atom in his body was being destroyed. But he did not care, for just moments ago, he had finally vanquished the spirit of the Immortal Accursed. The one who called himself Ardyn Izunia. The Accursed had schemed and plotted through millennia, fueled by hatred and spite, and he had played everyone like pawns in a chessboard and managed to engulf the world in an eternal night for ten long years. Worst of all, he had taken Luna's life right in front of Noctis, as he watched on, helpless, exhausted from his battle with The Hydraean. But even as she lay there bleeding, Luna had unlocked the latent power of the kings within him. Luna! He wanted nothing more than to save her. But he knew that even in death, she had watched over him.

Noctis's lips formed into a faint smile as he closed his eyes and felt the Ring of the Lucii slip off his finger. He had done his part, it was time to rest now. Thus, the chosen King of Stone, the Last of the Caelums, fell into his final slumber, or so he thought.

For unbeknownst to him, fate had other plans. Noctis Lucis Caelum CXIV, the last in the long line of Lucian kings, had a far greater destiny to fulfill.

* * *

Noctis's eyes slowly fluttered open. It took him a moment to adjust to the blinding bright light. As a young prince, he had always disliked the bright morning sunlight that interfered with his sleep. But there was something different about this particular light. It was calm and soothing, and the entire place was bathed in its divine glow. Underneath him, he saw countless worlds dancing around the stars in a beautiful cosmic medley. He thought it was the most wondrous sight he had ever seen, until he beheld the sight in front of him. For around him stood the five Astrals in all their eternal magnificence.

First stood Titan, unmoving and steadfast. Then Ramuh, holding his mighty staff Ixion in his hand, his violet eyes crackling with living lightning. Next to him was Leviathan, but not in the form Noctis was familiar with. The goddess had assumed a humanoid form similar to that of a mermaid with a dark tail and flowing dark hair. But there was no mistaking who she was. After her was Shiva, unlike the others, whose eyes seemed devoid of emotion. The Glacian's eyes, even in this divine form, brimmed with affection for humanity. Looking at her, Noctis could not help but break into a soft smile as he remembered the first time he had met Gentiana, the first time he had met Luna. The halcyon days they had spent as children on the fields of Tenebrae, surrounded by sylleblossoms. Noctis snapped out of his reverie and turned his gaze to the last of the Astrals, Bahamut, the mightiest of the six.

It was the Draconian who first spoke, "You have done well O chosen King of Kings, but it is not your time to rest, for your destiny is not yet fulfilled."

Noctis looked at the armored God in front of him with a mixture of surprise and confusion in his eyes. "What do you mean?" he asked, "Ardyn Izunia is dead, his essence destroyed. Is the world still immersed in darkness?"

"Nay young king!" it was the Glacian's melodic voice, "You have succeeded in what you set out to do all those years ago. The spirit of the Accursed truly is vanquished and the denizens of Eos shall see the light again. But things are not how it seemed. We have learned from those above us that your providence is far greater than what we had presumed."

Noctis stared at the deities bewildered, he believed he had fulfilled his calling, ten years and still it's not over?

"Providence? What providence do you speak of?"

"Even we Astrals are uncertain of the entire truth." spoke the Archaean, "However, we have learnt that your destiny was written eons ago, at the moment of creation and that is all we can tell you King of Light."

"We have been given the authority and the power to send you back ten years into the past. To the very moment you were pulled into the crystal." Said Bahamut.

On hearing those words, a multitude of emotions coursed through Noctis's very being, he had a million questions. _What would happen then? Will Ardyn be reborn? Will he have to fight the Starscourge all over again? Has everything been for naught?_

But before he could align his thoughts into coherent words, Bahamut continued, "Fear not King of Kings, the Accursed shall remain dead and the sun shall rise again in Eos. The Crystal and the Ring are destroyed, but the power lies within you now. Only the gods and you shall remember the events of the past ten years. You may reveal the truth to your companions or you may chose to spare them the darkness and memory of the Starscourge. We leave it unto you."

"Wait!" Noctis beseeched, "What about Luna? What about my father? Why cannot you send me back further into the past? Before they were taken?"

"I am afraid that's beyond our power King of Light." As she spoke, Shiva turned into a form Noctis was very familiar with, "But despair not King Noctis, for King Regis has taken his place of pride among his ancestors and Lady Lunafreya has looked out for you all these years from her abode in the moon."

Upon seeing the confusion in Noctis's eyes, she continued, "Yes, the Last Oracle has ascended, she has taken up her destined mantle as Goddess of Moon and the protector of dreams. She has replaced the Betrayer as one of the Hexatheon."

Before Noctis could comprehend the entirety of what the Glacian had said, he felt a warm soothing touch on his hand. He turned around and there stood Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, the last of the Oracles of Tenebrae.

Noctis's jaw dropped as he gazed upon the woman he was to marry once upon a time. His childhood friend, who had given up everything, even her life for the sake of his destiny. Luna looked just as he remembered, except for a soft divine glow emanating from within her.

"L-Luna! You are here? Are you really here?" Noctis staggered and fell to his knees as he uttered those words.

"Yes dearest Noctis." She smiled and cupped his face and gently leaned forward until their heads touched. "I am here, like I always have."

Noctis closed his eyes as he felt Luna's gentle touch on his face and barely managed to sputter, "Will we be together now?"

Luna stepped away and slowly shook her head, a single solitary tear running down her cheek, "I am afraid not. Our love was never meant to be. We both have different roles to fulfill in the cosmos and your destiny lies elsewhere... faraway."

"But-" before he could finish, Luna softly placed a finger on his lips and smiled, "Look deep within your heart Noctis, you know my words are true."

Noctis closed his eyes and in a moment of clarity, within his heart, he felt the truth of her words. He opened his eyes, nodded and stood up.

"Now it is time for you to go King Noctis" Shiva said.

Noctis looked at the deities assembled before him and nodded. As he turned his gaze back to Luna, she smiled and said, "Remember dearest Noctis, whenever you are alone, look up at the moon and know that I am always watching over you."

As he fell towards one of the worlds below, he kept his eyes fixed on Luna and returned her smile.

Ten years ago, after passing the trials of Leviathan, he had said goodbye to her, but this time it was different. Unlike then, this time, instead of devastating pain, he felt a soothing glow within him. Even as he fell through space and time itself.

* * *

"Noct! You okay?" Prompto called out as he ran up to the unconscious form of his friend, followed closely by Galdiolus and Ignis. The three crownsguard crouched over the body of their friend and King, their eyes filled with concern.

Noctis slowly opened his eyes. Gradually, the faces of his friends came into focus. The first thing he noted was that all of them looked much younger than the last time he had seen them, at the footsteps of the Citadel in Insomnia. They looked just like they did ten years ago, in the imperial capital of Gralea, before he was pulled into the decade long slumber. They even had the same clothes on.

"Are you alright?" asked Ignis, still loyal and brave, despite his blindness.

"Uh..I am okay" Noctis grunted as he slowly stood up with some difficulty.

"What happened to the Chancellor?" Enquired Gladio, the ever eager warrior.

"He is gone." said Noctis as he leaned on Prompto's shoulders, "Destroyed."

"Hey that's great Noct! You kicked his ass!" Prompto said cheerfully, before adding in a more sullen tone, "Too bad the Crystal is also done for." That's when Noctis noticed the shattered remains of the crystal.

"I wonder if we will see the sun, now that the chancellor is defeated?" Ignis mused.

"Yes! We will." Noctis said with confidence and walked towards the exit. Although he looked the same twenty year old boy, the three companions could not help but notice that something about him seemed different, like he had aged ten years in the past ten minutes.

* * *

As the first golden rays of the sun shone over the distant mountains of Niflheim, the four companions from Lucis stood atop Zegnautus Keep and felt its glowing warmth.

"Wow! No matter what you say about the Empire, I must concede that they do have a beautiful sunrise." Prompto laughed and turned to Noctis, "Hey Noct! I bet this is the first time you have been awake to see the sunrise in like... ever."

"More or less." Noctis chuckled without turning his eyes away from the rising sun.

"No one should miss a sunrise like this.." Prompto said merrily, but realized his mistake and turned to Ignis, "Oh Iggy.. I- I am sorry."

"What are you sorry for? I can see the sunrise just fine." Ignis turned around and took his shades off, a rare broad smile on his face.

All three of his companions stared at his eyes in disbelief, they were fully healed, with no sign of the scar.

"What? Did the sunlight heal your eyes?" Prompto asked in surprise.

"That seems to be the case, however illogical it may sound." Ignis said, all the while taking in the sight around him. Although he tried not to show it, it was obvious that he was delighted to have his sight return.

As Noctis stared at Ignis dumbfounded, he heard Luna's voice in his heart, _"This is a small gift from the Six to you dear Noctis. A small token of appreciation for all the sacrifices you have made and those you are yet to make."_

Noctis walked up to Ignis and embraced him, a smile on his face. He had carried the burden of Ignis's fate for too long, they all had.

"Who cares about logic. I am just glad that you can see again, I have missed your cooking." Gladiolus laughed as he placed a hand on Ignis's shoulder.

"Haha! I have missed your cooking too Iggy." Prompto joined in and tried to awkwardly wrap his arm around the taller man's shoulders.

"Make up your own joke short stuff!"

"Aww.. I am supposed to be the funny one Gladio."

As his friends bantered and laughed, Noctis kept his eyes closed and relished the feel of the warm sunlight and the cold wind juxtaposed on his skin. His mind was still recalling the events that had transpired, the celestial audience with the Hexatheon, Luna among them. And this great providence they spoke of. He could not fathom anything that was greater than the destruction of the Infernian and the end of the Starscourge.

"Something wrong Noct?" it was Ignis.

"Uh! No, I mean it's a long story."

"Well! Fortunately, we have a long road ahead of us." said Ignis.

Noctis nodded and smiled, "Yes we do."

"Let's hit the road then" Gladio said.

As the four friends took the first step towards their faraway home, Noctis came to a decision. He would be honest with his friends and tell them everything, the entire truth. After all, they deserved it.

* * *

 _It has been three years since the Starscourge ended. Noctis and his three companions were welcomed back as heroes in Lucis. With the death of most of the Niflheim high command, the Empire fell into disarray and many of the conquered territories gained independence. Many of them allied with Lucis and advocated a policy of peace. Foremost among them were Tenebrae and Accordo._

 _Since none remained of the bloodline of House Fleuret, Tenebrae is now governed by an Elected Council. King Noctis Lucis Caelum, the monarch of Lucis has promised them the full support of Lucis, as long as they worked for the betterment of the people. Although they were no longer ruling, the memory of House Fleuret is greatly honored and treasured. Sylva Nox Fleuret and her children Lunafreya and Ravus have been immortalized in three enormous ivory statues. Whatever ill feelings the people of Tenebrae harbored towards Ravus were dispelled when King Noctis apprised them of Ravus's true intentions and what he had done for the world._

 _Camelia, the First Secretary of Accordo already had a high opinion of the young King of Lucis since their summit in Altissia. She had no qualms about allying with Lucis to guide the world towards a better future. Whenever Noctis and his friends travel to Altissia on diplomatic missions, they always visit Weskham at the Maagho and savor his famous lasagne._

 _Exhausted and depowered from the long wars, Niflheim had no choice but to sign a peace treaty with the Allies. There are some fringe elements in Niflheim who still aim to resurrect the Empire. Fortunately, the current rulers seem to desire peace and has been trying their best to rehabilitate Niflheim's relation with the other nations of Eos._

 _Cid still works at his garage in Hammerhead with his cheerful granddaughter Cindy. Despite the multitude of requests from the King, the stubborn old man refuses to move to Insomnia. However, Noctis did manage to convince him to attend his coronation. But they had to practically drag him to the Crown City._

 _Iris never became 'Iris the daemon slayer'. But she does train with her brother regularly, to be able to protect the ones she loves. Although she spends most of her time studying with Professor Sania, she still tends to the house and the garden in Caem whenever she can. Young Talcott has joined the military academy and wants to be a Kingsglaive one day. Also, he still collects Cactuar figurines._

 _Commodore Aranea Highwind now leads the Dragoon corps of Lucis and when she is not hunting daemons, she spends her days with the King and his friends. Her nonchalant attitude in the presence of the King does seem to bother Grand Marshall Cor Leonis quite a bit._

 _Cor Leonis is the supreme commander of the Lucian forces and has direct command over the Crownsguard. The Kingsglaive is commanded by Gladiolus and although technically Ignis and Prompto are still part of the Kingsglaive and serves as the King's primary bodyguards along with Captain Galdiolus, the two of them hold other positions in addition. Ignis serves as the King's Chief Adviser and Strategist and sometimes chef, much to the King's delight. Prompto requested to be the Administrator of Leide for obvious reasons. But instead of administrating, he spends most of his days loitering around Hammerhead. Nevertheless, his effort seems to be paying off, as after years of persistence, he finally scored a date with Cindy._

 _Noctis takes special care not to alienate the people of his realm who dwell outside the Crown City. He has personally visited the far reaches of his kingdom and tried to connect with the people. On one such visit to Galahad, he came across a former Kingsglaive named Libertus, who had quite a story to tell. On being shown a picture of a brave Kingsglaive from Galahad named Nyx Ulric, Noctis recognized the daggers in the picture as the very same ones he had obtained from a Psychomancer wandering the alleys of Insomnia, who thought he was some sort of General of the Empire. When Noctis offered Nyx Ulric's daggers to Libertus, he refused and told Noctis to keep them in memory of the great hero. The King also offered him a place and position in the Crown City, but the former Kingsglaive said he was happier in Galahad, especially now that the Empire was gone._

 _Although they no longer posed much of a threat, a few daemons still prowled the nights, but they are easily taken care of. Sometimes, the King and his companions takes to the road in the Regalia and deals with the threats personally and spends the nights camping under the stars. Noctis especially loves the nights when the full moon shines in the night sky. It makes him feel like Luna is watching over him. To make their task easier, using Niflheim tech, Cindy managed to make the Regalia capable of flight. "Regalia Type F" is what she calls it. Most of the threats are taken care of by the soldiers and hunters. In the past three years, only twice was the intervention of the King essential. Once, when Longwythe peak 'awoke' and once when old lady Ezma tasked the king to take down ancient creatures sealed beneath the earth. Since then, the world has not faced any significant threat._

 _Eos seems to be headed towards a bright and prosperous future, but fate has other plans for King Noctis Lucis Caelum CXIV._

* * *

Noctis stood alone, atop the Citadel in Insomnia. After the dealings of the day, he liked to stand here and watch over his city. Tonight, the Crown City looked especially beautiful, with the full moon shining over its towering skyscrapers. A soft smile appeared on his face as the cold wind ruffled his spiky jet black hair. Although as king, his official attire had changed, he no longer wore the fatigues, they were replaced with a crisp black suit with gold adornments, his hair remained exactly the way it was. He ran his hand through his locks and closed his eyes as another gust of wind hit his face. Having been quite busy with his royal duties and responsibilities, he had not given much thought to the augury of the Astrals. But for some reason, after all these years, his mind wandered back to the celestial audience.

 _"It is time young king, your destiny calls..."_

Noctis's eyes flew open and he frantically looked around. But there was nothing, no one, even the wind had stopped blowing. In fact, time itself seemed to have frozen.

Noctis heard the voice again and realized that it was coming from within him, _"It is time young king, your destiny calls. The Dark One stirs and the End of Eternity is nigh. The fate of creation rests on your shoulders."_

"Wha-wait... what about this world, what about Lucis?" Noctis stammered, "There is still so much left to do..."

 _"Worry not for this world young king."_ The voice interrupted him, _"For the six shall watch over Eos."_

"Yes dearest Noctis.." He turned towards the new but familiar voice. It was the voice of Luna, the goddess of moon, hovering in the air like a vision, with the full moon behind her forming a halo around her graceful visage. She smiled and continued in a soothing voice, "The six shall watch over Eos in your absence. Besides, you leave this world in capable hands."

Luna's words placated his spirit and he nodded with a little more confidence, "I am ready... I think. But what am I supposed to do?"

Luna smiled and glided closer to Noctis, "I have nothing to offer but my prayers and these words. They come, not from me but from the ones above. Thus, I pray that you hold on to them with all your heart - When you are in a strange foreign land, all alone. Look for the Savior, the woman with hair the color of roses. For she is your north star, the one who shall hold your hand and guide you through Eternity."

Noctis felt Luna's gentle touch on his forehead and heard her whisper a prayer. The very next instant, he was falling through time, space and universes.

As he fell through the walls of creation itself, Noctis beheld the cosmic spectacle around him. He saw what looked like gigantic digital codes, huge flashing screens, innumerable pages from titanic books. And then everything vanished. Suddenly, he was falling towards a world, a different world.

Noctis closed his eyes as he crashed to the ground. He had expected to be crushed into pieces. Instead, he only felt supremely exhausted. There were no physical injuries, even his clothes were remarkably intact, only slightly dirty from the earth.

Noctis slowly stood up and looked around, the world seemed similar to Eos, yet somehow different. But he had not gathered his bearings yet. He was dizzy from the inter dimensional fall and Luna's words still rang in his ears- _When you are in a strange foreign land, all alone. Look for the Savior, the woman with hair the color of roses. For she is your north star, the one who shall hold your hand and guide you through Eternity._

* * *

 **-That's a wrap-**

 **-Yea I know, no Lightning yet. Sorry about that. But be assured, she is coming soon.**

 **Thanks for reading everyone...**


	2. Stranger in a Strange Land

**Hello again! Thanks for reading and reviewing the first chapter. Here's the second one, I hope you like it.**

 **-Like I said, English is not my first language, so if you find any grammar mistakes please let me know.**

 **-I have not played Final Fantasy XIII-2, but I am trying to rush through it on easy mode.**

 **-Finally, there's no information available on the names and locations in 'The New World'. As such, I was torn between inventing new names or just keeping the places unnamed. Ultimately, I decided on the latter. But I might end up inventing names in the future.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Stranger in a Strange Land**

* * *

Lightning awoke from her peaceful slumber at the crack of dawn. Although, she was not a soldier anymore, she still liked to rise early and watch the sunrise.

As she opened the window to welcome the morning sun, a gust of cold wind hit her face and ruffled her pink tresses. She remembered that it was her birthday and her friends would be arriving soon. The thought brought a smile to her delicate lips.

In spite of living in different places, and having moved on with their lives, they were still the closest of friends. Serah was attending university and her husband Snow ran a garage nearby. Despite her initial misgivings, she had come to accept the fact that Snow really did love Serah and would do anything and everything for her. Hope had become a well respected researcher with the government in spite of his young age. But it was not really a surprise since he always had the gift of intellect. Sazh was working on some top secret plane and little Dajh had grown up quite a bit. Fang and Vanille have made their home in a desert village near some ancient ruins. And although she was not really fond of the arid place, she understood why they chose to settle there. The same way she understood why Noel and Yeul chose to settle in a sub tropical town full of people.

As for herself, her home was in a sleepy little town bordering the riviera not very far from Serah's university. She chose this little town because she loved the peaceful greenery all around, the cool weather and the beaches reminded her of Bodhum. Despite everything that had happened, all the trials she had gone through in the other world, she still missed her old home in Bodhum.

Lightning made the short walk to the beach from her modest house, with a smile on her face and a cup of coffee in her hand. She sat down on the sand and watched the sun rise and the seagulls fly around. She closed her teal eyes, took a deep breath of fresh air and relished the feel of the cold wind all around her.

It was worth it. All of it. She had her friends, her cozy little house, her coffee shop, peace and quiet. Life was good. It was serene and peaceful. It was all she had ever wanted.

* * *

Halfway across the continent, Noctis struggled to gather his bearings. He fought through the dizziness and composed himself. And it was not a moment too soon as at the very next second, he heard a whizzing sound above him. He turned his gaze upward and saw the head of a missile, not more than 20 meters above him. It was his years of training and reflexes that let him escape clear of the blast by quickly warping away.

After taking a quick breather, Noctis made his way towards a cluster of ruined structures for cover. Once under the relative safety of the structures, he scanned the area as best as he could in the absence of daylight, although the faint glow in the east told him that it was almost daybreak.

The place was literally a war zone. He saw bombers flying through the sky and heard the distant din of gunfire. To the east was a small village. Despite the sound of gunfire emanating, he decided that it was the only place he could go. He certainly was not going to cower beneath the ruins forever.

"Right in the middle of a war zone, couldn't have picked a better time and place." Noctis grumbled as he made his way toward the little village in the distance.

* * *

After a quick shower, Lightning fixed herself a simple breakfast of poached eggs and a slice of toast. She sat down, turned on the television and browsed through the channels until she found a news coverage. Since humanity had broken free from the shackles of the Gods, their baser instincts had taken over and it had lead to a multitude of wars. The current coverage was about the war in the western part of the continent.

At times, she wondered if humanity would ever move away from its wayward ways. But she remembered the words the reporter, Aoede had said to her on that train ride- _All of us, mankind, humanity, we are alright. We are definitely going to be alright._

The memory brought a smile to her lips. As long as there were people like her working for a better, brighter tomorrow, humanity was going to be alright.

* * *

"Ahhh.. could really use a nap." Noctis grumbled as he sat down and leaned against a wall. He was exhausted from the inter universal hop. He wiped the sweat off his brow and scanned the area.

The village was smaller than he had initially assumed. And the ravages of battle were everywhere. Most of the houses had been destroyed. Even the steeple of the chapel across the street lay in ruins. From what he had gleaned, the technology of this world seemed to be quite similar to Eos, maybe a little behind.

All of a sudden, Noctis heard voices coming from the chapel. He turned his gaze towards the commotion and quietly moved closer. He spotted a group of soldiers, four of them, herding out a dozen or so civilians from the chapel. It looked like they had caught the terrified people hiding inside.

The soldiers were forcing the civilians to kneel in a straight line. A young dark haired woman seemed to be arguing with one of the soldiers, until she was struck with the butt of a rifle and forced back into the line. It was obvious to Noctis that they were going to be executed. Some of the captives seemed to have realized it too. Two of them tried to make a break for it, but were quickly cut down by a hail of bullets. The soldiers seemed to be enjoying the entire thing.

Although Noctis was unaware of the cause of the war or what the stakes were, he had seen enough. He summoned his Engine blade and threw it right into the back of a soldier. Before anyone realized what had transpired, he warped to the sword, swapped it for a pair of daggers and hurled them at two of the soldiers, hitting them square on the chests. The last remaining soldier fired at him in panic, but before the bullets could strike, Noctis teleported above the soldier and brought Luna's Trident down on him. It was over in less than a minute.

Most of the people were cowering in fear and confusion and it was clear to the King that many of them had not even realized or grasped the situation. They were too terrified and the darkness did not help either. Noctis walked up to them, "Its okay, you can stand now. You are safe."

"Yes! Quickly and gather your bearings. We have to make it across the border, its almost daybreak." It was the dark haired woman from before, the one who had been arguing with the soldiers. Although obviously shaken, she seemed to be a lot more composed than the rest. She wiped her glasses and walked up to Noctis, "Thank you for saving us. I would ask who you are but first we have to get them across the border, it's not safe here. The plan was to rendezvous with a pick up team but they never showed, must have been intercepted by the militia."

"Uh... okay." Noctis muttered. By now, it was dawn and he could see the conviction in those hazel eyes behind the glasses.

"Good. Do you know a safe way to the border?" She said.

"Uh.. I am sort of new to these parts." Noctis replied, uncertain of what else to say.

"Where are you from?" she shook her head incredulously. But before he could respond she continued, "Fine, I think I might know a relatively safe path. The border is to the east, not far from here, and fortunately, most of the invading forces have moved on."

"Okay sure." Noctis said

"Great!" she flashed the tiniest of smiles and introduced herself, "By the way, I am Aoede"

"Uh.. Noctis."

* * *

Lightning was on the phone when she heard the beep of the oven. She ran up to it and quickly took out the cake. She wiped her brow and sighed in relief. She had never been as good as Serah in the kitchen.

She was roused from her reverie by the roar of a motorcycle. Her lips broke into a wide smile as she realized who it was.

"Sis!" Serah practically jumped on her as soon as she opened the front door. Lightning returned the embrace, her face beaming with joy. She had missed her sister. The siblings stopped hugging only when Snow showed up after having parked his bike. He still wore a trench coat, but his hair was different. He was sporting a mullet these days.

"Hey sis!" Snow said as he walked up to Lightning and gave her a quick hug. Although their relationship was amicable now, he was not too keen on pushing his luck.

As they made their way inside, Lightning looked at her brother-in-law and chuckled, " Is Serah okay with that mullet?"

"Oh she loves it." Snow declared while Serah groaned in response.

"I think it looks ridiculous" Lightning said.

"With all due respect sis, you don't exactly have the best sense of style." Snow guffawed but quickly shut up when he saw the look in Lightning's eyes.

"Whatever makes you happy." Lightning said and checked the cake.

"Let me help you with the frosting." Serah said, "but first, we have something for you."

"Surprise!" the Villiers couple exclaimed in unison and proffered a beautifully wrapped gift-box.

"Oh! You didn't have to." Lightning protested.

"How could we not." Snow declared.

"Open it! Open it!" Serah exclaimed, handing the box over to Lightning.

Lightning took the box and gently unwrapped it. Inside was a beautiful silver necklace with two pendants in the likeness of her and Serah. The sculptor had done a marvelous job and captured their likeness perfectly. Lightning was rendered speechless.

"I hope you like it. It will always keep us together." Serah smiled.

"Besides, we thought a survival knife would not be of much use to you these days" Snow quipped.

"Thank You!" Was all Lightning could manage.

* * *

After about 5 hours of practically crawling and clawing across the landscape, the group reached a blockade. Fortunately, they had not encountered any obstacle during the enervating trek. The guards went into alert as the group approached. But their uniforms appeared to be different than the ones worn by the soldiers at the chapel. At least, that was good news. Aoede approached the guards and started conversing with them in earnest.

Noctis saw one of the guards run her ID through a device and then waved the group forward.

 _"Who was she? Some sort of diplomat?"_

The group queued up and went through the gate one by one, with Aoede at the front and Noctis at the very end. As he passed through the gate, one of the guards raised an eyebrow and glanced at Aoede.

"He is with me." She said

After a quick meal, Noctis was shown into a modest room at the base. Once the orderly had left, Aoede handed him a duffel bag, "Here's a change of clothes. Get some rest now, I'll see you soon."

Although it was not luxurious by any means, the room had a bed, and that was all he wanted at the moment. He peeled off his clothes, took a shower and checked the contents of the bag. The first thing he saw made him recoil. It was a bright yellow tee shirt. He shook his head and stuffed it back into the bag. The only other apparel in the bag was a pair of dark blue slacks. It was more acceptable. Noctis lazily put it on and flopped down on the bed. Within minutes, he was fast asleep.

* * *

Lightning couldn't help but smile as she watched her friends. They had moved to the beach to watch the sunset. It had been a wonderful day. Most of them had arrived soon after Snow and Serah. Except for Hope. Hope had reached quite late. He was quick to apologize though. He said he got caught up with some extra work at the lab. Earlier in the morning, the sensors discovered an anomaly in the western region of the continent. If he did not know better, he would have said it was a surge of magical energy. But he could not send a team to investigate because of the war. Even now, he was engaged in a phone call.

Lightning smiled as she watched the young boy, barely an adult, engrossed in conversation. She was really proud of what a brilliant researcher he had become. A far cry from the terrified young boy she had met all those years ago, in another time, in another world.

"Light! I am so sorry but I have to get back to the lab." Hope walked up to her and said apologetically, "I was talking to a friend on the phone. The journalist. She said she needed to see me urgently."

* * *

"Hey! Wake up"

Noctis felt a tap on his shoulder. He lazily opened his eyes and saw Aoede.

"Hurry up! We have to leave before the military discovers what you can do." she said as he groggily sat up.

"Huh!" was all Noctis could manage before she cut him off, "Dress up and meet me at the parking lot quickly."

A few minutes later, Noctis was seated on the passenger seat of a red coupe, with Aoede behind the wheels. He had done as she had instructed and met her in the parking lot after quickly putting on the yellow tee and stuffing the rest of his clothes into the duffel bag. As they weaved their way through the base, Aoede seemed somewhat tense. However, once they were in the clear, she visibly relaxed.

He was not certain what had transpired, but she seemed to be helping him in some way. But he wasn't sure why? Perhaps it was because he had saved her life?

"Where are we going?"Noctis asked in an attempt to break the awkward silence and start a conversation.

"To see a friend. Someone I trust." Aoede replied.

Noctis nodded and after a few minutes tried to continue the conversation, "Are you a diplomat?"

"Uh? No, I am just a journalist, a reporter. But I do moonlight as a mediator between warring factions." She said without taking her eyes off the road, "In fact, I was here to broker a peace at the request of the World Council, but as you can see, things went horribly wrong."

She turned her gaze to him and said gratefully, "Thank you for saving us, for saving me."

"Uh.. it was nothing." Noctis muttered, looking straight ahead.

They drove in silence for about half an hour before she asked, "Are you a L'cie?" She had been dreading to ask this question since the moment she had seen him appear out of thin air.

"A what?" Noctis was addled. Although he had no idea what the word meant nor had he ever heard it before, for some strange reason, it sounded vaguely familiar.

"A L'cie. One branded by the divines. If you are a L'cie, does that mean that everything Lightning and the others fought for was in vain." she babbled, her voice shaking.

"Relax! I am not a... L'cie. In fact, I have never even heard the word before." He said, "And who is Lightning?"

Aoede ignored the question, "Then who are you? What are you? I saw what you did at the village."

Noctis wrestled with the idea of telling her the truth, but finally decided on it. "Actually.." he spoke softly, "I am not from around here. I am from another world"

"What?" she exclaimed and almost lost control of the wheel. With some effort, she managed to regain control and looked at him with a mix of excitement and dread, "Are you from 'the Other World'? Cocoon? Pulse?"

"What?" None of the words were familiar to him. Noctis shook his head, "I am from Eos."

"Never heard of it." She murmured

"I am not surprised." Noctis said leaning backwards, "Its in...another universe."

"What?" she looked at him incredulously. If not for her memories of the other world, she would have considered him crazy. "So, why are you here?"

"I am not really sure. I was sent here."

"Who sent you?"

"The gods. They said I was needed here. That the universe was in peril and I needed to find someone." Noctis shook his head as he finished speaking. He was beginning to realize how improbable all of it sounded. But for some reason, Aoede seemed to believe him or at least did not consider him a total whack job.

They drove on in silence for sometime. She seemed to be processing all the information he had dumped on her. After a while she spoke, "So, the gods chose you. Why? Are you like a Knight of some sort?" She turned to him with a slight smile.

"I guess, in a way." Noctis muttered, still looking outside. By now, it was nightfall and he wondered if daemons prowled at night in this world too.

"Who is this person you are supposed to find here?" Aoede asked.

He remembered Luna's words - _Look for the Savior, the woman with hair the color of roses_. But before he could respond, a figure dropped onto the windshield of the car and pierced it with a thin blade.

"Hello Prince Noctis, It has been a long time." It was a soft feminine voice.

In the ensuing panic, Aoede lost control of the car and crashed into a tree. Reeling from the impact, Noctis looked at Aoede. Before he could check on her, he felt a searing pain on his right shoulder. As he gasped in pain, the figure gracefully jumped back a few meters.

Noctis stumbled out of the car, clutching his wound. His blue eyes glowing slightly as he sized up his opponent. Underneath the hooded cloak, she was of slender built. She held an ornate rapier in her right hand. And although her face was covered, he could see the smile on her lips.

Noctis hurled his Sword at her, and within seconds, their blades were clashing. Sparks flew and the sound of steel on steel ripped through the quiet night.

Noctis was starting to tire. She was matching his every move. Like she was intimately familiar with his fighting. But he had never seen her before. Deciding to end the battle, Noctis summoned his Armiger and started raining blows upon her. She managed to block him at every turn but in the end, he had her pinned against a tree.

"Who are you?" He grunted.

"Oh! You don't remember me Prince Noctis? How sad." She cooed, then her voice turned vengeful, "But I never forgot you."

Before Noctis could respond, she had vanished.

 _"Did she just warp? I have never seen anyone warp like that?"_ His mind was reeling from pain and confusion.

He quickly made his way to the car and pulled Aoede out. She seemed to have regained consciousness.

"Are you hurt?" Noctis asked

"Yes I am" She grumbled, touching her head, "But I'll live..I think."

She pulled out her phone, marked a location on the GPS and said, "We need to get to Hope Estheim... fast!"

* * *

- **That's all for now** -

 **Thanks for reading**


	3. A Meeting Predestined by the Divine

**Hello again! This chapter is mostly fluff. But I wanted Light and Noct to interact for a while before anything major happened.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: A Meeting Predestined by the Divine**

* * *

The red coupe screeched to a halt as Noctis slammed on the brakes. He had driven like a maniac for hours, following the directions of the GPS. Throughout the length of the journey, Aoede had been floating in and out of consciousness. Whilst she had claimed to be fine, it was obvious that she had suffered internal injuries.

Unfortunately, he had not come across any town or hospital on the way. There was also the fact that Aoede had insisted on not stopping for anything. After a nerve-racking trip, they finally arrived at the facility where this friend of her's worked.

Noctis parked the car in front of the large solitary structure in the middle of the woods. The place seemed to have been deliberately built in this remote location, where there would be less prying eyes. He swiftly got out of the car and made his way to the passenger side. He opened the door and picked up Aoede's unconscious form.

In front of him was the ugliest piece of architecture he had ever laid eyes upon. It was a enormous cylindrical concrete structure. The only path leading into the building seemed to be a humongous door at the center. Noctis trudged up to the door and pushed the button on the intercom with some effort as he had Aoede's limp form in his arms.

"State your name and business." a detached voice came over the intercom.

"Noctis! My name is Noctis and I am here to see Hope Estheim."

"Give me your appointment code for verification please."

Noctis was about to snap, he was tempted to crush the vexing device. But that would get them nowhere. He took a breather and spoke as calmly as he could, "Listen, he is expecting us. Tell Hope Estheim Aoede is injured."

"Hold on please." blared the annoying device.

After what seemed like hours, while in truth it was probably just minutes, the huge door slid open. As Noctis made his way inside, he saw three men rush out of of the elevator with a stretcher.

It was the youngest among them who spoke, "Oh god! I am sorry." He addressed Noctis, then turned to his men "Take her to the infirmary and have the doctors see to her."

Once they had strapped Aoede to the stretcher, the two men disappeared into the elevator. The younger man, who seemed to be the one in charge walked up to Noctis, "What about you? Don't you need to see a doctor?"

Noctis shook his head, "Thanks! But I am alright."

Now that he was closer, he observed that the silver haired man was younger than he had initially assumed. In fact, he was still a boy. Except for his eyes, for those green eyes possessed a clarity and conviction unexpected in someone so young.

"I am Hope Estheim." the young man offered his hand.

"Noctis Caelum." The taller man said as they shook hands.

* * *

It was late afternoon when Noctis woke up at the sound of a knock on his door. He slowly sat up and flinched when he felt a painful sensation on his shoulder. Although he had his shoulder bandaged, it still hurt when he exerted pressure.

"Its open." He called out.

"Hello." Hope said as he walked in and took a chair, "Hope you slept well?"

"Yea. Thanks for all the help." Noctis nodded as he set his feet on the floor, "How is Aoede?"

"She is stable now. She is currently resting, but we did manage to talk a bit earlier. Quite an eventful day the two of you have had."

"Tell me about it." Noctis grumbled shaking his head.

"Listen, I need to discuss some things with you." Hope's voice turned serious, "are you up for it now? Or would you like to freshen up first?"

"No I am fine.." Before Noctis could finish the sentence, Hope's phone beeped.

"Excuse me." He said as he checked his phone. "Aoede is awake. I think we should talk together."

Noctis nodded.

"I will wait for you at the infirmary." Hope smiled and closed the door behind him.

Noctis sighed and stood up. His first few days in this world certainly had been eventful. He strolled into the bathroom and threw some cold water on his face. The chill was invigorating. As he stared at his reflection in the mirror, he felt a pang of homesickness. But he pushed it aside and checked on his wound.

The king flinched a little as he removed the bandage. The wound had stopped bleeding, so he figured he could do without it. He threw the bandage in the dump and walked into the shower.

The cold water ran down his lean physique and his wet hair covered his face. Noctis closed his eyes and focused on the chill of the water. His thoughts wandered back to the events that had transpired. To the battlefield, the chapel, the soldiers, Aoede and then the hooded woman.

 _Who was she? He was certain he had never seen her before. Yet, she had claimed to know him. And the way she countered his every move led credence to her claim._

* * *

Noctis was making his way to the infirmary. Since his clothes were in the laundry, he had put on a black shirt and a pair of black slacks, courtesy of Hope Estheim. He had not specifically asked for black, but Hope seemed quite intuitive.

Noctis pushed the door to Aoede's room and made his way in. Aoede was on the bed, propped up on some pillows and Hope was seated on the chair next to her. As soon as he entered, they stopped conversing and looked at him. Aoede had a cute smile on her face and the look on Hope's face was rather indecipherable.

Noctis sat on the empty chair and looked at Aoede, "How are you feeling?

"Better. Thanks to you and Hope." She smiled sluggishly.

Without her glasses, Noctis could see the hazel in her eyes clearly. "I just did what I had to."

"What about you? How are you?" She asked

"Okay." Noctis mumbled

"So, Aoede tells me you are from another world... another universe? That you were sent here by the gods and that you have... abilities?" Hope asked.

Noctis felt a hint of apprehension in Hope's voice. Nonetheless, he nodded in the affirmative

"How did you travel here?" It was Aoede.

"I am not sure. Luna- I mean a goddess touched my head and suddenly I was crashing into your world."

"Hmm.." Hope rubbed his chin and there was a distant look in his eyes. He seemed to be deep in thought.

"I think your arrival is what triggered the sensors yesterday." On seeing the look of confusion on their faces, Hope clarified, "Yesterday the sensors discovered an anomaly in the west. Anyway, you said that the universe is in peril? What kind of peril?."

"I am not certain." Noctis shook his head. "The gods only said something about a Dark One stirring."

"Dark One?" Hope raised an eyebrow.

"That's all I know." Noctis shook his head.

"Um... didn't you say you were supposed to find someone?" Aoede asked

He nodded, but did not elaborate.

"So who is it?" Aoede pressed.

Noctis shook his head again, he was getting frustrated at his own ignorance. These people have been very patient and they deserved answers. Hell! He needed some answers.

"I don't have a name or anything." He did not care to elaborate on the vague description he had received from the divines.

"What about the woman who attacked you? Did you recognize her?" Hope leaned forward.

"No, I have never seen her before. But for some reason, she seemed to know me. Or at least she thought she did."

Hope picked up a water bottle from the table and took a sip, "You should know, the things you can do, magic. It is rare in this world. And if word gets out about you, your abilities, it might cause ...problems."

"What kind of problems?" Noctis suspected he knew the answer.

"This world... our world, its embroiled in constant war. And abilities like yours, they would be coveted by those in power. You need to be cautious. If what you say is true and the universe is indeed in peril, we will need you." As he uttered those words, a look of apprehension appeared in Hope's usually sharp eyes. But he quickly snapped out of it, "Anyway, we should get some food and Aoede, you need to rest."

* * *

Few minutes later, Noctis and Hope were seated opposite each other in the cafeteria.

As they waited for their meals to arrive, Hope spoke, "You know, I have been thinking. We need to proceed carefully. You should lay low for a while." He paused to take a sip of coffee, "Meanwhile, Aoede and I will investigate this Dark One and if we don't discover anything, we will look for a way to send you home. I'll also keep a lookout for anomalies and surges in magical energy."

Noctis nodded and took a sip of water.

"This place is a government facility, it's not safe here." Hope pondered, "We need to find a safer, quieter place. Somewhere under the radar."

"You know of such a place?" Noctis asked

"Yes, I just might. Just... don't piss her off."

* * *

It was first light when Noctis arrived at his destination. He had said goodbye to Hope and Aoede the previous evening. Although he had a brand new phone, Hope had suggested that he kept the calls to a minimum. He had emphasized the fact that he needed to lay low, while they investigated the situation. The young researcher had arranged for him to stay in this sleepy river town with a 'friend'. He thought this place was adequately remote and sufficiently discreet.

The bus came to a halt, and Noctis made his way out. He was dressed entirely in black and held his bag in one hand and jacket in the other.

 _No wonder he was the only one getting off at this town, the place was practically a hamlet._

As he stepped out of the bus, the first thing he felt was the cold wind on his skin. It reminded him of the halcyon days he had spent camping with his friends in Lucis. Immediately, he was overcome with acute nostalgia for his home and friends. He wondered how they were doing. How they must have reacted to his unexplained disappearance.

 _They must be distressed._

Once the bus left, Noctis placated himself and scanned his surroundings. There wasn't a lot to see. The stores were closed. Everyone in the little town seemed to be in deep slumber. The narrow streets were cobbled and bordered by trees on either side. In truth, the place did have a kind of quaint and rustic charm about it. He spotted a bench and decided to wait for his host there. He was finally going to meet this woman he had heard so much about, this...Lightning.

* * *

 _She was late. How could she? She was never late._

Lightning inwardly berated herself as she made her way to the bus stop. Hope had requested her a favor. And while she was not extremely comfortable with hosting a stranger in her home, she trusted Hope. He would not trouble her unless it was exceedingly important.

He had been quite vague on the phone. Like he was afraid someone might overhear. The only information he had given her was the person's name. All this worried her a little, but Hope had been quick to reassure her.

The sight of a solitary figure dressed in black snapped her out of the reverie. While she made her way, she meticulously studied him. It was more out of habit, a remnant of her days as a soldier. He was seated cross legged, fingers clasped over one knee and head slightly bowed. He seemed to be deep in thought and had not spotted her yet.

As she drew closer, his features became clearer in the dawn-light. He was tall, dark haired and although he wasn't moving, she could tell that he had a certain air of nobility about him. But more than that, Lightning began to feel a sense of unease as she approached him. It wasn't a feeling of being endangered. It was something else, something she couldn't exactly put a finger on.

Once she was close enough, she placated her nerves and cleared her throat, "Hi! You must be Noctis. I am Lightning"

Noctis turned toward the voice and was awestruck. For in front of him stood a very striking woman - _with hair the color of roses_. She was tall, her eyes were a captivating shade of blue-green and she was dressed in a plain white shirt and brown leggings. But the simplicity of her outfit did not diminish her radiance in the slightest. In fact, it enhanced it.

 _Luna was the most compelling woman he had ever met, but this...Lightning...she was the most magnificent._

"Uh.. hi." He managed to sputter as he stood up. Flustered and red faced at the fact that he had been gawking, he was too embarrassed to offer his hand for a handshake. Fortunately, she offered her's first. As he took her smooth and delicate hand in his, Noctis felt the hairs on his body stand. Like he was struck by a bolt of lightning in the clear morn. He held her hand for a second too long, before coming to his senses. And just like that, the handshake was over far too soon.

"Shall we?" She said. If she had felt any sort of awkwardness during the handshake, she did not show it.

"Uh yea .. sure." Noctis fumbled as he picked up his bag and jacket.

As they walked side by side, the King of Lucis could not help but steal glances at the woman walking beside him. Thankfully, she seemed to be oblivious to it.

They had been walking in silence for a few minutes when she turned to him, "You must be tired?"

"Uh n-no. I am fine." He mumbled, "I slept quite bit on the bus."

"It's quite a walk from the stop." She said in a slightly apologetic tone, "But it's not much farther from here."

"Uh huh." Was all Noctis could manage.

* * *

Lightning's home was a modest but beautiful brick house. The walls were painted a shade of teal much like her eyes and the tiled roof was a darker shade of blue. Surrounded by flowers, the place was quiet and serene. Noctis could actually hear the birds chirping and the waves crashing in the distance. The soft golden rays of the morning sun, gleaming through the trees made the whole vista seem ethereal. It was like he had walked into a fairy tale of old.

The place was quite far from the rest of the town. Hope really wanted him under the radar.

"Watch out for the puddle." Lightning said as she pulled up her leggings and tiptoed across the puddle. Her pink tresses reflected the morning light as they waved gracefully.

"Uh thanks." Was all Noctis could mutter as he followed her.

Once inside, Lightning showed him to the spare room. It was a cozy little room with a beautiful view of landscape. There was a bed with blue covers and some furniture.

"You should freshen up. I will see you later." Lightning said and quickly closed the door behind her.

Noctis threw his bag into the closet and plopped down on the soft bed. He was tired and exhausted, but more than that, he felt something else. Something he had never felt before, like butterflies fluttering in his stomach. It was a foreign and strange sensation and it made him smile.

* * *

Thirty minutes had passed, by the time Noctis emerged from his new room. His hair was still wet from the shower and he had put on a fresh set of clothes. Lightning was seated on a chair at the dining table while quietly munching on an apple. She seemed pretty busy with her phone. But when he approached she looked up, "You must be hungry, I fixed you up something."

Noctis nodded and took the seat opposite her. He looked at the food on the table. There were slices of warm bread, eggs, cheese and a bowl of green bean casserole!

"Hope you like it." She said.

"It looks good." Noctis nodded and picked up a fork. Once he started eating, Lightning went back to what she had been doing.

Noctis was surprised at how enthusiastically he was chomping down on the beans. He hated beans, everyone in Lucis knew that. Not even the best chefs in Insomnia or Ignis's gourmet cooking could make him eat those terrible green plants. But for some reason, he found himself gorging on these.

After a while, Lightning looked up from her phone, "Do you like it? I am afraid I am not that great of a cook."

"They are delicious." Noctis said between bites.

Her face lit up at this and for the first time since they had met, a genuine smile appeared on her lips. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

 _He had stared at the very fabric of the cosmos and seen the gods up close. But nothing was comparable to this woman's dazzling smile._

"Would you like another serving?" Lightning asked and when Noctis nodded, she delightedly got up to fetch some more casserole.

Noctis smiled at her reaction.

 _If it meant he could see her smile like that again, he would devour every bean and beanstalk in the universe._

* * *

Noctis sat alone at the front porch of the house. Soon after he had finished eating, Lightning had left for work. Before leaving, she had handed him a card and told him he could find her there if he needed anything.

He pulled the card out of his pocket and examined it. It read, "Fabula Arabica Coffee House". Noctis flipped the card over and that's how he learned her full name. For printed on it were the words : 'Lightning Farron'

* * *

A few hours later, the King of Lucis was making his way to the market, or what qualified for a market in this town. As he strolled down the cobbled road, his mind was preoccupied by thoughts of Lightning Farron.

Saying she had made an impression on him would be an understatement. Their was an air of simplicity about her. She seemed to be perfectly content with her simple life. No intriguing court politics, no kingdom to rule, just a cozy little house in the woods. It was all delightfully refreshing to him.

But one thing had been slightly bugging him this entire time. He could not fathom the idea of her being the Savior. She was too delicate, her smile too beautiful, too perfect.

* * *

Lightning was in her modest office at the back of the coffee shop, crunching some numbers when one of her employees peeked inside, "Hey Light."

"Yes Olive?" Lightning looked at the dark haired teenager.

"There's someone looking for you." The brunette said with a sly smile.

Lightning stood up, stretched her body and made her way out. There were not a lot of patrons, so it did not take her long to spot Noctis. He was seated at a corner. She couldn't help but notice the fact that he was dressed in black again.

"I see that you have been shopping." Lightning said as she took the seat opposite him.

"Yes, just some fishing gear." Noctis mumbled.

"So you like fishing?"

"A little." He said without making eye contact.

"Hmm" was all she said in response.

Noctis and Lightning sat opposite each other. Neither of them made eye contact and they were both at a loss for words. The air around them had turned awkward. The two girls employed by Lightning started to giggle, but quickly shut up when she glared at them.

"Would you like to go out for a while? Maybe grab a bite to eat?" Lightning asked, trying to push away the feeling of unease.

"Yeah sure." Noctis said, inwardly sighing in relief.

They walked out of the cafe and as he was closing the door after him she asked, "Do you mind if we eat outdoors?"

"No, not at all."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, they were seated on a cliff overlooking the beach. Noctis was unpacking the food Lightning had bought from a deli nearby. He had insisted on paying but she was not having any of it. In truth, it was all for the better, as he was not really swimming in Gil these days. The only money he had, had been generously provided by Hope and Aoede.

Noctis sneaked a peek at Lightning as she bit into her sandwich. There was something graceful in the way she did it, in every tiny movement she made. Not the kind of refined elegance that someone with noble upbringing like Luna possessed. It was graceful in a different way. _Graceful in its simplicity, Ignis would have said._

"So, where exactly are you from?" She turned toward him and the wind blew her pink tresses over her face. "Hope was quite vague on the phone."

"He was afraid that someone might overhear." Noctis replied, "I am not from around here. I am from another world."

She looked up at him with her alluring teal eyes, "Another world?" She felt a little uneasy as she uttered those words.

"Yes, Eos. It's in...another universe."

"Okay." She whispered as she turned her gaze back to the ocean, "So, why are you here?"

Her calm demeanor, despite the revelation that he was from another universe surprised him, "I am not sure. I-I was sent here by the Gods of Eos. They seem to think that I'll find something here that will save the cosmos from a coming threat?"

"By the Gods...hmm" Lightning mumbled, she was growing more perturbed by the minute.

Noctis saw a look of mild reproof on her face at the mention of the gods, "You don't approve of the gods?"

"I think that gods can be fickle." She said in a rather sharp tone.

Noctis felt a hint of resentment in her voice. He wondered what made her adhere to such a belief. He wanted to know about her past, her life, her family, everything. Lightning Farron was a beautiful enigma to him.

"What do you think Hope is up to?" She asked, pulling him out of his musings.

"He said he would further investigate the situation. In the meantime, he wanted me stay under the radar." Noctis mumbled.

"Hmm.." Lightning mused, "I hope he is alright, I know he can take care of himself, but still..."

"He asked me to reassure you that he will be fine. And he has promised to keep in touch."

"Do you really think there is a threat coming?" She wondered if she would have to pick up her weapon again.

"I am not really sure. Nothing really bad has happened so far. I am starting to wonder if the gods were mistaken." He felt guilty for skipping the part about the hooded woman who had attacked him. But he did not want to worry her anymore than she already was. Since the mention of gods, her demeanor had hardened.

"I have to go back to work. Can you find your way back home?" Her tone was void of emotion.

"Yea sure." Noctis nodded.

"I'll see you later then." she said. And before he could respond, she stood up, collected the wrappers and dumped it in a nearby dustbin.

And just like that, Lightning Farron was walking away. Her pink hair dancing in the evening breeze.

* * *

On her way back, Lightning processed everything she had heard. Gods, other worlds, an oncoming threat... she was not ready for these eventualities yet. She and her friends, they had fought long and hard to free humanity from the manipulation of the gods. Plus, she was worried about Hope. But he had assured her that he would be alright and she trusted him and his ability and resourcefulness.

And then there was Noctis. This man from another world, who she had only just met. A believer in the divine. Given everything, she should not trust him. Yet, for some strange reason, she wanted to. And that made her all the more apprehensive.

When Lightning entered the cafe, the first thing she heard was Olive's voice, "Back so soon from your date?"

"What? No, I was not on a date!" Lightning retorted, her cheeks turning a shade of pink.

"Oh! Looked like a date to me." It was Tessa, her other employee. She grinned at Light and twirled her blonde locks around her finger.

"Yeah! And what a hottie he was." Olive chimed in. "Dark and mysterious."

"He is a friend of Hope's and he is just...visiting." Lightning explained.

"You mean you have him all to yourself at your house... even at night?" Tessa sounded overtly enthusiastic.

"He is staying at my place." Lightning responded nonchalantly and made her way to her office. She needed to finish her work.

"So, if you don't want him, would you introduce him to us?" Olive giggled.

"Don't you have work to do?" Lightning slammed the door behind her. But she could still hear them giggle.

* * *

It was around 9:00 pm when Lightning reached home. She had been replaying the events of the day in her mind. She knew she had been rude to Noctis earlier, and she did not feel great about it. After all, it wasn't really his fault. But she couldn't help it. The reveal of gods and deities had caught her off guard. She wasn't ready to put her faith in the divines again and probably never will be.

"Hello." It was Noctis's voice that roused her from her reverie. He was standing at the door to the kitchen.

"Oh hi." Lightning tried to smile, but failed miserably.

"I made dinner, hope you don't mind?" Noctis muttered nervously.

He had been a little dejected at how their lunch had ended. In an effort to clear his mind, he had gone fishing and to his delight, came back with quite a catch. Afterwards, he had tried his best to remember Ignis's recipe for oil-drizzled steamed fish. In the end, although he could never compete with Ignis, he was pretty satisfied with the result.

"That's perfectly fine. I appreciate it, thank you." She said rather flatly, without intending to. "You should start without me, I'll be a few minutes."

Once in her bedroom, Lightning peeled off her clothes and walked into the shower. She was annoyed at herself for the rather dry tone she had taken with Noctis. She should have been more appreciative, after all, he had done something nice for her.

Her pink hair turned a shade darker as the soothing warm water ran down her slim frame. Lightning closed her eyes and tried to think of her family, her friends, work. But her mind kept wandering back to Noctis and his cobalt blue eyes.

* * *

When she emerged from her room, her hair was still wet and she was dressed in a simple white cotton shirt and a pair of shorts.

"You should have started without me." She remarked as she took the seat opposite Noctis.

"I-I thought I would rather wait." Noctis mumbled, and tried to smile.

"You didn't have to, but thanks." Lightning picked up a fork.

Noctis held his breath as she took her first bite.

"It's really good." She looked up at him.

"Uh.. really.. thanks." Noctis smiled sheepishly.

"So back home, are you a chef of some sort?" She was only half joking.

"Uh.. no, I just learnt from a friend."

"Uh-hm" she nodded, "So what are you? A soldier?"

Noctis was caught in a dilemma, he did not want to sound like he was flaunting, but he was not keen on lying to her either. In the end, he decided to be honest with her.

"Uh-Actually I am kind of a ruler..." He paused nervously before adding, "...I mean..a king. My full name is Noctis Lucis Caelum."

Usually, girls yelled and shrieked when they learnt he was royalty. But he knew Lightning was different and he was right.

She looked at him and nodded, "I have never had a king crash in my spare bedroom."

Noctis smiled, "I hope I am not being too much of a bother."

Lightning shook her head, "No it's perfectly fine." But her voice was much more stoic then she had intended.

The rest of the meal was spent mostly in silence. Noctis was slightly disappointed. Just when he thought he had somewhat broken the ice between them, she would retreat behind her walls. She would smile one second and then turn stoic the very next.

* * *

Noctis woke up with a start. The sun was high in the sky, he had overslept. He quickly ran to the bathroom, inwardly berating himself. He did not want Lightning to think he was a lazy bum.

After a quick shower he made his way out but the house was empty. There was a note on the table from Lightning saying that she had to go to work early because one of her girls was on leave. Noctis sighed in frustration.

Fifteen minutes later, Noctis was at the door of her cafe. As he made his way in, the first thing he noticed was the queue at the counter. Lightning was diligently taking the orders as fast as she could. She didn't perceive him until he was right next to her.

"Hi!"

"Oh hey!" she looked up at him.

"I am sorry I overslept." Noctis said

"It's OK. I don't mind."

"Oh" he nodded and added nervously,"I-I could help you.. you know if it's alright?"

"No! You don't have to." she shook her head.

"Please, I insist." he implored.

The patrons were getting agitated and and in truth, she really could use the help. Thus, she finally assented, "Okay, could you take the orders? I'll help Olive with the brewing and baking."

"Yeah sure." Noctis smiled.

"Thanks." Lightning simply nodded and moved over to the coffee maker, she heard Olive giggle behind her.

Noctis took her place at the counter and turned to the first customer in front of him with a smile, "What can i get you today?" And that was the last time he would smile that day.

Soon, the King of Lucis and newly turned barista was overwhelmed by the rigours of his new job.

 _A skimmed vanilla latte. One ristretto please. Two shots of espresso. Can i get a single origin?_

* * *

By the time they were finally done, it was almost midnight. They had worked throughout the day, except for a quick lunch break.

"Phew! That was quite a day." Noctis said as he plopped down on a chair in Lightning's office. Olive had already left and Lightning was turning out the lights.

She had just walked out to pick up the outdoor menu when she noticed a group of men approaching.

"Hey! Can I get a coffee?" One of them yelled at her, "and some food!"

They were standing right next to her now. Two of them had bottles in their hands and she could smell the stench of alcohol in their breaths.

"I am sorry, but we are closed." She said with as much politeness as she could muster.

"Heh! I say you are still open." One of the men laughed.

Lightning shook her head and turned to head back inside, but one of the men grabbed her arm, "Forget the coffee pink. How about you party with us?"

In a split second, Lightning twisted the man's arm and pushed him away. "Aww! Bitch!" he screamed in pain.

Noctis, who had almost dozed off, heard the commotion and rushed out of the office. He saw Lightning surrounded by four burly men. His brows furrowed and his eyes started to turn red. But before he could move a muscle, there was a flash of pink. And then there were four groaning and whimpering bodies on the ground with Lightning standing over them.

"Get out of here before I haul you to the police!" She snarled.

By the time Noctis made it to her, the hoodlums had scampered off.

"Are you alright?" Noctis asked, still amazed at what had transpired.

"Yea. I am sorry you had to see that." She looked up at him.

"Are you kidding? They deserved it." Noctis gazed into her crystal eyes. He could see the moonlight in those alluring orbs, and it made his heart skip a beat. He was overcome with the desire to hold her and take care of her forever. But he did not dare touch her. He pushed the feeling aside and looked away.

"Can't say the same for my coat though." She shook her head and took off her coat. It was drenched in booze during the altercation.

Noctis tried not to stare as she stuffed her ruined coat in a paper bag and locked the door.

"Shall we?"

"Yeah.. sure." He mumbled.

The starry night was quiet and cold. Although it was hardly winter, the wind was strong and there was a chill in the air. As they walked on the cobblestone pathway, Noctis gazed at the beautiful woman beside him. She had her arms wrapped around herself. Without her coat, her sleeveless shirt was not adequate protection against the cold.

After some deliberation and a lot of hesitation, he gathered his courage and gently draped his Jacket over her shoulders. He feared she would refuse. Instead, to his utter delight, she pulled the jacket tighter around her.

"Thanks." She whispered and gave him a soft smile.

"Its nothing." Noctis kept a straight face. In truth, his heart was leaping for joy and doing somersaults.

As they walked side by side in the quiet windy night. With nothing but the distant sound of crashing waves, he turned his gaze up to the starry night sky. The stars and constellations were completely different than the ones in Eos. And it served to further validate the fact that he was in a different world, a different universe. But for some strange reason, he had never felt more at home.

* * *

 **-That's all for now-**

 **Thanks for reading**


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